Cradle



Jan. 23, 1968 N. ANDERSEN 3,364,507

CRADLE Filed Feb. 28, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG-I INVENTOR NICHOLAS AHDERSEN ATTORNEY Jan. 23, 1968 N. ANDERSEN 3,354,507

7 CRADLE Filed Feb. 28, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR NICHOLAS ANDERSEN ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofitice 3,3d4,57 Patented Jan. 23, 1968 3,364,567 CRADLE Nicholas Andersen, 2631 N. Roosevelt St., Arlington, Va. 22207 Filed Feb. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 619,423 7 Claims. (Cl. -403) 'l'his invention relates to cradles for infants or small children and more particularly to a knock-down or collapsible cradle which may be set up with particular facility and may be moved conveniently, from place to place, whether in collapsed or erected condition.

A major purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel swinging cradle for infants or small children, the cradle portion, as well as the supporting frame, being collapsible so that the device may be readily d1sassembled and moved, in convenient collapsed condition, from one location to another.

It is a further object of the invention to provide novel suspension means for a cradle whereby, with a minimum of attention, the cradle will swing gently, from side to side, for a substantially protracted period of time.

it is a still further object of the invention to provide a cradle of the class with which we here are concerned which will be particularly sturdy when erected, may be manufactured with particular economy, will be light in weight, will be readily portable and, when in collapsed condition, will acquire but little space for storage.

further object of the invention is to provide a cradle of the class set forth where the cradle per se may be utilized as a bed, whether in the home, outdoors, or in a moving vehicle, separate and apart from the supporting frame.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of the swinging cradle and supporting frame of the present invention in completely erected condition;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the cradle of FIGURE 1, with one of the side walls in collapsed condition;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the method of assembly of the side and end walls of the cradle with the bottom thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view, on a somewhat enlarged scale, of the cradle suspension means; and

FIGURE 5 is a detail sectional view, also on an enlarged scale, of an upper corner of the supporting frame.

As shown in the drawings, particular reference being had to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 thereof, the novel cradle of the present invention, indicated generally at til, include a bottom ll, side walls 12 and t3, and end walls 14 and 15. Desirably, the cradle walls are produced from any suitable rigid material and while these walls have been illustrated as having continuous surfaces, it will be understood that these may be slatted, or padded, or otherwise ornamented.

The bottom edges of the end walls 14 and 15 are secured to the bottom it by hinge means 16 and, as illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the end walls of the cradle will rest upon the upper surface of the bottom 11 when in collapsed or knock-down condition.

Complementary halves 1'7 and 18 of a piano-type hinge are secured to the abutting extremities of each side and end wall by screws or the like 19 and a removable hinge pin 2% is employed to complete the assembly.

With this structural arrangement, erection is particularly simple. The end walls are moved to a vertical position and the side walls are located with the complementary halves l7 and 18 of each hinge in alignment for reception of the hinge pin Ztl which may have a looped or enlarged extremity for convenient handling.

It also is contemplated that the side walls 12 and 13, rather than the end walls 14 and 15, may be secured to the cradle bottom by the hinges 16, in which arrange ment or modification assembly of the end walls will be accomplished in the identical manner described hereabove.

A transverse reinforcing bar 21 surface of the bottom it each extremity of this is secured to the lower of the cradle centrally thereof, reinforcing bar extending just beyond the edge of the cradle bottom and terminating in a bifurcated extremity providing a pair of curved and downwardly directed hook-like portions 22'; for a purpose to be described more fully hereafter. Desirably, the bar 21 is provided with a plurality of apertures 23 for the reception of suitable fastening means such as screws or the like (not shown) for securing the bar to the bottom of the cradle.

Cradle suspension means is provided, in the form of an inverted U-shaped member 24 and each extremity of this member includes a transverse head portion 25' intended for engagement within the hook-like portions 22 of the adjacent extremity of the reinforcing bar 21. Each side wall of the cradle is provided with a bracket 26, secured thereto by screws or the like 27, having an outwardly directed flange 28 provided with a centrally lo cated notch or the like 29 for the reception of a leg 24a of the suspension means W as shown more clearly in FIGURE 4 of the drawings.

It will be noted that the width of the suspension means 24 is substantially identical to that of the cradle; thus, a snug fit is provided between the legs Zda, the cradle side walls, the brackets 26, and the retaining hook portions 22. This provides for a particularly rigid and secure assembly and the suspension means 24 may function conveniently as a handle for lifting the assembled cradle and moving it from place to place.

The supporting frame, in the embodiment illustrated, preferably is produced from light weight tubular material and includes a substantially rectangular base portion 3% of greater dimensions than the length and width of the cradle l d, and a vertically disposed and centrally located standard 31 desirably of inverted U-shaped configuration. Each longitudinally disposed side leg of the base 363 is provided with a centrally located upstanding boss 32 which fits snugly within the lower open extremity of the adjacent leg Bla of the standard 31 and thus mounts the standard upon the base. Angle braces 33 are provided for insuring complete rigidity and stability as between the base 3i) and the standard, suitable fastening means such as bolts or the like 34 being employed for securing the angle braces in position. For additional rigidity, if desired, the standard 31 may be provided with a plurality of reinforcing bars 31b, three such bars having been illustrated, one adjacent the upper extremities of the legs 31a of the standard and the remaining two adjacent the lower extremities thereof.

To mount the cradle lll upon the standard 31 for swinging motion, a suspension bar and one extremity of this bar is received within an aperture 36 formed on the inner face of one of the standard legs 51a, the other extremity 35a of the bar 35 seating within a slot 37 formed of the inner face of the opposed standard leg 31a. As illustrated more particularly in FIG. of the drawings, this standard leg has an aperture 37a in horizontal alignment with the upper portion of the slot 37. Since the length of the suspension bar 35 is greater than the distance between the opposed standard legs 31a, positioning of the suspension bar is accomplished by inserting the extremity 35a thereof through the slot 37 and aperture 37a a sufiicient distance to permit alignment and entry of the opposed extremity of the suspension bar in the aperture or bearing 36. When this is accomplished, the extremity 35a of the suspension bar drops to the bottom of the slot 37 and seats therein. This novel structural arrangement obviates any possibility of inadvertent displacement of the suspension bar.

A pair of spaced anti-friction bearings 38 are mounted upon the suspension bar 35 and each of these includes a preferably integral depending hook-like portion 38a having a gap of sufficient width to receive therein the horizontally disposed portion of the cradle suspension means 24. The depth of these hook-like portions 38a is sufficiently great that inadvertent displacement of the suspended cradle is impossible; however, the cradle may be conveniently lifted and removed therefrom, using the suspension means 24 as a handle, when desired.

It has been found in practice that a single movement of the cradle about a reasonably small arc will impart a reciprocatory swinging motion whereby the cradle on its anti-friction bearings will swing gently backward and forward several hundred times. As a safety precaution, to limit the extent of movement of the cradle, stop members, one of which has been illustrated in dotted lines at 39, may be employed. Further, to control vibratory influences and/or noise, and to protect floor or other surfaces, the base 30 may be provided with cushioning members 40 of rubber, or the like.

There has thus been described a novel knock-down cradle which may be assembled or disassembled with particular ease, where swinging movement is gentle and protracted, where the infant is protected against injury, and where the cradle per se may be utilized without the frame, for sleeping or other purposes, and is readily portable.

It will be obvious to those skilled in this art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof; thus, the invention is not considered limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification and reference therefore is had to the claims for summaries of the essentials of the invention and the novel features of construction and novel combinations of parts for all of which protection is desired.

What is claimed is:

1. A knockdown cradle of the class set forth including a bottom, a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls, hinge means connecting one of said pairs of walls to said bottom wall, complementary hinge means secured to the inner faces of said side and end walls immediately adjacent the abutting edges thereof, hinge pins removably received within said complementary hinge means, a centrally located reinforcing bar secured to the lower surface of the cradle bottom, said reinforcing bar being of slightly greater length than the width of said cradle bottom and terminating at each extremity in a pair of curved and downwardly projecting hook-like portions, suspension means for said cradle comprising a horizontally disposed upper portion and downwardly directed leg portions, the lower extremity of each of said leg portions engaging with the adjacent hook-like portions of said reinforcing bar to attach said suspension means to said cradle, and a centrally located retaining bracket secured to the outer face of each of said side walls at a point remote from the bottom edge thereof, said bracket engaging the adjacent leg of said suspension means and preventing lateral movement thereof.

2. A knock-down cradle as set forth in claim 1 when the length of the horizontally disposed portion of said suspension means approximates that of said reinforcing bar and the lower extermity of each of said downwardly directed leg portions is provided with a transverse head portion which fits snugly within the downwardly directed hook-like portions of said reinforcing bar.

3. A knock-down cradle as set forth in claim 2 where each of said retaining brackets includes a horizontally disposed and outwardly directed flange having a centrally located notched portion within which the downwardly directed leg portion of the suspension means is received and retained.

4. In combination, a knock-down swinging cradle of the class set forth and a supporting frame, said cradle including a bottom, a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls, hinge means connecting one of said pairs of walls to said bottom wall, complementary hinge means secured to the inner faces of said side and end walls immediately adjacent the abutting edges thereof, hinge pins removably received within said complementary hinge means, a centrally located reinforcing bar secured to the lower surface of the cradle bottom, said reinforcing bar being of slightly greater length than the width of said cradle bottom and terminating at each extremity in a pair of curved and downwardly projecting hook-like portions, suspension means for said cradle comprising a horizontally disposed upper portion and downwardly directed leg portions, the lower extremity of each of said leg portions engaging with the adjacent hook-like portions of said reinforcing bar to attach said suspension means to said cradle, and a centrally located retaining bracket secured to the outer face of each of said side walls at a point remote from the bottom edge thereof, said bracket engaging the adjacent leg of said suspension means and preventing lateral movement thereof, said supporting frame comprising a horizontally disposed substantially rectangular base portion and a vertically disposed standard comprising a horizontally disposed upper portion and downwardly directed leg portions, a pair of upwardly directed bosses upon said base portion, one of said bosses being receivable within the lower extremity of each leg portion of said standard, angle braces securing said standard to said base portion, a horizontally disposed suspension bar mounted adjacent the upper extremities of the leg portions of said standard, and a pair of anti-friction bearings mounted upon said suspension bar for free rotative movement, each of said antifriction bearings including a depending hook portion, the horizontally disposed upper portion of the suspension means for said cradle being receivable within said depending hook portions.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 Where the length of the horizontally disposed portion of the suspension means for said cradle approximates that of said reinforcing bar and the lower extremity of each of said downwardly directed leg portions is provided with a transverse head portion which fits snugly within the downwardly directed hook-like portions of said reinforcing bar.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 where each of said retaining brackets includes a horizontally disposed and outwardly directed flange having a centrally located notched portion within which the downwardly .directed leg portion of the suspension means is received and retained.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 6 where one of the legs of said standard is provided with an aperture on the inner face thereof and one extremity of said suspension bar is received within said aperture, said aperture providing a bearing for said bar, the inner face of the other leg of said standard being provided with a vertically disposed slot within which the other extremity of said suspension bar is received, the lower extremity of said 5 6 slot being in alignment with the aperture in the opposed References Cited standard 'leg, and the outer face of said other leg of said standard being provided with an aperture in direct align- UNITED STATES PATENTS ment with the upper portion of said vertically disposed 1,246,476 11/1917 Scolari 5-101 slot, whereby an extremity of said suspension bar may 5 1,574,226 2/1926 Ackermann 5-109 X be inserted through said slot and associated aperture and 3,336,608 8/1967 Lerner 599 then the bar moved laterally so that the opposite extremity may be received with its bearing. CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner. 

